Sunday, May 25, 2008

You're Singing the Wrong Tune Jack

Jack was once again on television today, QP, arguing against a carbon tax shift.

Last week on the same show, David Suzuki was perplexed as to why the NDP would take such a stand. Today it was Elizabeth May.

What is interesting about the two claims is not so much that they think Layton is on the wrong side of the issue, but that they both attribute it to his ideology and are saying as much. They fear that Layton is doing what is strategically advantageous for the NDP rather than what is right, period. That really hits Layton's credibility between the eyes.

They also point out that by taking that stance and claiming that the tax shift will disadvantage the poor, he is mimicking Harper.

To be fair to Jack, he did not go on a rampage against the Lib's today. He was far more congenial, stating more than once that it was good we were having the debate. Obviously he's re-tuning his message and has felt the impact of his recent bad press, but boy, talk about a plan backfiring.

Well, I don't see how this is going to get any better for Jack, or any other political party that wants to pursue the line, 'a carbon tax shift will attack the poor and the middle class'. Here's yet another poll that suggests Canadians are way ahead of the politicians on this issue.

The McAllister Opinion Research survey, commissioned for the Pembina Institute - an environmental research group - and obtained by Canwest News Service, revealed that Canadians would be supportive of a federal carbon tax and would like to see its new revenues invested in improving energy efficiency and clean energy technologies.

When told that the government of British Columbia had recently introduced "a carbon tax on fossil fuels to reduce greenhouse gas emissions," 72 per cent of those surveyed in the poll said that this was a positive step versus 23 per cent who thought that it was a negative step. The poll surveyed 1,009 Canadian adults across the country between April 29 and May 9, 2008 and is considered accurate within 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

I'm not familiar with the research company, but whether or not you find them credible, I'm not sure as time goes on that you are going to see very different results.

Ignatieff was also on the show, mainly to speak to Bernier's incompetence but he also spoke to the Lib plan stating that in broad terms the plan was there, but details were still being ironed out. He also made it clear that the poor, seniors, and those on fixed incomes would not be disadvantaged.

With each passing day this one looks like it's a winner. I've said it many times before, but if we can keep the message honest and simple, I think Dion really has something here.

Oh, of course the Con's will be out there fear mongering but as I've said before, they will be pretty isolated. But now they have Jack! Maybe he'll teach them some music and they will form a choir that sings to their converted?

Kidding aside, I think Jack is in a tough spot now. Harper always have been and btw, what a joke this is. Dion however is on the right side of the issue as it stands today. The key is to stay there.

11 comments:

I was reading your post and I couldn't stop laughing literately. Quoting polls when there isn't an election in site. From a firm that I have never heard of before at that. This is a though sell at the very best of times. Its even worst with energy prices going threw the roof,especial with Mr.Dion as your sales person to do it.Even the so called experts that buy into this think think it will be a though sell in an election campaign. So nice spin my friend. Lets wait when we have an election then we will see who is right about this. My prediction is we will have the election next year 2009. But hey its nice to dream my friend LOL.

I'd like to see how the question was framed - I have a lot of respect for the work that the Pembina Institute does

Oh and "right", Little George's big adventure is partially to blame for this oil crisis"The oil economist Dr Mamdouh Salameh, who advises both the World Bank and the UN Industrial Development Organisation (Unido), told The Independent on Sunday that the price of oil would now be no more than $40 a barrel, less than a third of the record $135 a barrel reached last week, if it had not been for the Iraq war."This has been another "I told you so" moment....

Before you judge, bash and trash why don't you at least listen to the Plan when it comes out before making a decision. That's what most people do when they have to make a decision about something - get the info, think it over and then decide.

Oh yes, quoting a poll, that shows British Columbians like the idea, people that already have a carbon tax imposed. No, no, don't read anything into that.

I've said it before, I'll say it again, we needn't concern ourselves with the opinion of the wrong is where it's at, he isn't the target, he will never vote Lib, he's the Con base. Who cares...I'll worry about the 70%(non Cons) of Canadians that are reachable thanks.

The best part about that interview, watching Jack defend himself against the attack that he and the Cons are together in opposing this plan. The NDP is on the defensive, that is clear, people are questioning the motivations, the rigidity, it's not a great spot. I'm watching this unfold with a critical eye, it's not blind partisanship. This is starting to shape up very well for Dion and the Liberals, and the rabid attacks from "other" supports speaks to their unease. It's all in the embryo stage, but I don't mind the view ahead.

One more point, if the plan for the NDP is too appeal to rural voters in opposing a carbon tax, Jack needs a new wardrobe, he just oozed urban, "center of the universe" dweller today. Can you get a Kenora dinner jacket on Queen?

I live in a rural setting, and I have owned said jacket before, lest anyone mistake me for an elitist.

If the Libs think that selling higher taxes during an election campaign is a good strategy then they are dumber than I thought.Dion couldn't sell ice to an Eskimo. After he finishes taking "care of the poor, seniors, low income earners and of course the big bureaucracy that will need to be created there will be little money left to fix the environment.Canadians were told the GST would be revenue neutral. We all see where that got us.I can see the Conservative ads showing Dion telling all who would listen he would never impose a carbon tax as its bad policy. Like the rest of his flip flops his credibility will be zero.Bring on the election and lets see Dion sputter as he tries to explain his so called green plan.Canadians love taxes as long as somebody else is paying them. This pig won't fly.